The MMVAs Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary

When it comes to star-studded street
parties, there aren't many in Canada that are as rousing – or as
rockin' – as the one MuchMusic has been throwing year after year in
downtown Toronto.

In fact, the MuchMusic Video Awards
have been partying on for an incredible quarter of a century.

Every June, multitudes of exuberant
music fans flock to the corner of Queen and John Streets to get a
close-up look as MuchMusic cranks up the energy – and unleashes
big-time star power – at its annual celebration. This year's
25th-anniversary edition of the MMVAs hits MuchMusic on June 15. And,
as usual, viewers will get primed beforehand with the MMVA Red
Carpet Special.

For the first time, though, the cable
channel's corporate cousin, CTV, is jumping on the bandwagon,
simulcasting this year's entire extravaganza live from coast to coast
on its broadcast network, as well as on its CTV GO mobile app.

“It's a really great opportunity to
put the show on a bigger platform,” says Sheila Sullivan, the
longtime executive producer of the MMVA telecast. “That's great for
the artists. It's great for the Much brand.

“The great thing about it is the CTV
simulcast will ensure [that] millions of music fans – who might not
have ever had the opportunity to watch the MMVAs on Much – can now
watch it on CTV. It opens the MMVAs up to an entirely new, broadened
audience, which is just perfect. The more people that can tune in and
see this street-party spectacle, the better.”

This year's anniversary show will have
“a nod” to previous MMVAs, but it won't dwell on the past. “It
won't be too nostalgic,” Sullivan promises. Instead, viewers can
count on a show featuring some of the music world's biggest names as
performers. There will also be a stellar lineup of presenters to do
their usual thing, as well as adding a few surprises.

“I've done enough [MMVAs] to remember
most of the exciting things that have happened during the show over
the years,” says Sullivan. Past years have had their share of
dazzling moments, ranging from Lady Gaga's bra-shooting fireworks to
Flo Rida making his way onto the MMVA stage via zip-line.

Sullivan and her team are still busily
assembling this year's final list of performers and presenters – a
task that has been ongoing since last fall. “We start talking to
labels and to talent in the fall so that we can get it on the
calendars of artists that we're hoping will come to the show to
perform,” Sullivan explains. “We want to be on their calendars
first. We're looking for the biggest and the best names. We are
looking to give our audience exactly what they want to hear.”

Apart from the talent lineup, Sullivan
says there is one other big challenge to putting on the MMVAs every
year – the show's outdoor setting.

“When you're indoors, you can
rehearse all day long in the dark,” Sullivan points out. “We can
rehearse only from 9:30 to 11:30 because, at 9:30, it's finally dark
and we can see what it's going to look like on TV. But, at 11:30, we
have a noise curfew. And the weather, of course, is a big concern.”

Although storms have dampened some MMVA
celebrations, the show has had surprisingly good luck with the
weather over the past 25 years. “We have – and it's going to
happen again this year, for sure!” Sullivan insists, knocking on
wood. “I wish it was something I actually did have more control
over.”

Sullivan does have control of the show,
though, and she remains confident that it will be bigger and better
than ever.

“We do try and take our production
value to another level each year, as well as trying to ensure that
we're featuring artists who our audience is listening to and loving
right at this moment,” Sullivan stresses. “And that's certainly
what we'll be aiming to do again this year.”